TMNT: Rise of the Yokai
by Astrica Onome
Summary: 2k12 Yokai AU: Just before the murder of his wife and his move to New York City, Hamato Yoshi is visited by the Lord of the Yokai, who asks an unusual request of him. The events that follow are a mess of chaos, adventure, and more than a little magic. Donnie-Centric. Rated T for safety.
1. Prologue

_**They had come to him in a dream.**_

 _ **Four toddlers, bathed in varying colors of light lied at his feet. Above them stood a figure cloaked in shadow, his eyes grey and ghostly in the darkness. He gestured down at the children and grinned.**_

" _ **Hamato Yoshi," it rasped with a voice like crackling autumn leaves. "I bring you your sons." The ninja cringed, and then looked down at his feet once more.**_

" _ **What are they?" he whispered, gaze snapping back to the stranger at his doorstep.**_

" _ **They are yokai, of course." The figure laughed. "Japanese demons. As you can see, they are part kappa, but I believe they have other abilities as well." The man gently picked up one of the yokai, and Yoshi gasped as the toddler's grin revealed a pair of long, sharp teeth.**_

" _ **How can you call these my children?" Yoshi demanded. "They are monsters!" The stranger frowned.**_

" _ **So, you will not take them?" he asked, his head tilting to the side in question.**_

" _ **No!" Yoshi yelled angrily. "I want nothing to do with these… these demons! Now get them out of my sight!"**_

" _ **I see you have made your choice." The stranger whispered. "Until we meet again, Hamato Yoshi." With a swish of his cape, the stranger and the yokai disappeared. Yoshi breathed out a sigh of relief.**_

 _ **That night, everything he loved was taken away from him. His dojo burned, his brother gone, and his wife and daughter seemingly dead. He lied in the woods, crying, when a small hand grabbed his elbow. One of the little kappa had had crawled over to him, and soon the others followed. Yoshi looked around for the stranger, but saw no one. He gathered the turtles up and carried them away.**_

" _ **Don't worry my sons," he whispered. "I will protect you."**_

~I\I~

It had been almost 15 years since Hamato Yoshi began to take care of the turtles. Since that fateful day, the once proud Hamato Clan leader had retreated to the sewers of New York City. An accident caused his mutation, into the rat known as Splinter. The turtles themselves had grown immensely during those years, each being a little over four and a half feet tall. Splinter had even named them himself, pulling titles from his favorite book on Renaissance Art.

The first turtle, the eldest, Splinter had named Leonardo. The youngest was Michelangelo, while the second oldest was dubbed Raphael, and the second youngest was called Donatello. Despite the scare from the first time they had met, Splinter had yet to witness any more yokai activity from his sons. That is, until today…

~I\I~

 **{Hi! Welcome to my newest fanfic. This is kind of a mix between TMNT and the hit anime Nurarihyon no Mago, or Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan. (If you haven't seen it, it is truly amazing!") I hope you enjoy it!}**


	2. Episode 1 - Call of the Yokai pt 1

They stared at each other from across the dojo, with squinted eyes and slightly bared teeth. Donatello had his bo held out in front of him preparing to defend himself against the impending onslaught of his immediate older brother, Raphael.

"Put down the staff, Donnie, and no one gets hurt." Raph yelled. Donnie scowled.

"No way! The last time I dropped my weapon you just picked it up and beat me with it. I refuse to be tricked again!"

"Suit yourself." Raphael shrugged as he readied his sai in front of him. As Splinter called to start, the world around Donnie seemed to fade away, making him stiffen. Suddenly, a red and orange blur flew by his head. Before he could comprehend what had happened, he was curled up on the floor in pain. He lifted his head slightly to try and glimpse at his attacker, only to gasp in shock. There in front of him stood his brother, eyes blazing red and fire lacing his fingertips.

"Raph… what's going on?" Donnie whispered.

"He can't hear you." a voice rasped from behind him. Donnie whipped around in shock. The voice had come from a tall man dressed in a shadowy grey cloak. His hair circled his head in long white wisps, cascading in a wave down his back. His eyes were inhuman black orbs that seemed to bore their way straight into Donatello's soul.

"What have you done to him?" Donnie demanded. "This thing can't be my brother. Where is Raphael?"

"He works for me now, just as your brothers soon will." the stranger laughed. You have no idea how special you are, do you Donatello?"

"Special?" sputtered Donnie, his voice laced in sarcasm. "There are only a handful of mutants in the world. Of course we're special."

"But you top all of them!" The man declared. "After all, there are few who can resist my powers all on their own."

"Your powers? What exactly are you?"

The stranger paused at Donnie's question, but then simply smiled.

"I'm just like you, little one." he replied. "You may call me Kurotame." As Donatello was about to protest, Kurotame held up his hand to silence him.

"One last warning, little kappa*." he whispered. "If you wish to survive any of the challenges ahead, you must learn to control the strength you've been born with; to rule with an iron grip and a kinship that none of the other yokai can ever hope to match." Then, with a swish of his cloak, Kurotame vanished. Donnie was left alone with his brother, who still had that same crazed gleam in his eyes. Before Donnie could react, Raph charged at him again knocking him onto the ground. Blows came at him from all sides. He curled up into a small ball on the floor, hands protecting his face and trying to ease some of the pain.

 _Stop…_

Even his own thoughts sounded shaky.

 _Just stop… Raphael… Please…_

Donnie could feel a strange pressure building up deep within his chest, barely contained by his last bit of sanity.

 _I said…_

"STOP!"

Raphael was blown away from him, limbs flying out to break his fall. Donnie could feel the surge of pent up anger flowing through his veins. He would not stand being defied! When Raph regained his footing, he ran over and bowed at Donatello's feet.

"Lord Nurarihyon**, I have found you at last!" he cried, his eyes still glowing their bright, mysterious red-gold. "Please accept me as part of your Hyakki Yako." The scene around Donnie began to swirl as he slipped back into oblivion. The last thing he saw before the world faded completely was the large, accomplished smile on Raphael's face.

~I\I~

"Donnie?"

"Come on bro, you're scaring me."

"Donatello, you have to wake up!"

Donnie's eye's snapped open as he registered the sound of Mikey's voice. The purple-banded turtle was lying with his back pressed to the floor. His brothers, Leonardo, Raphael, and Michelangelo, along with his Sensei and father, Master Splinter, were standing above him, faces marred with grief and worry.

"Guys, what happened?" he asked.

"You were sparing with Raphael when you passed out, my son." Splinter answered. "Have you been feeling ill?"

"No...I mean I don't know for sure. It all happened so fast." Splinter turned to the others.

"My sons, I fear your brother may be becoming sick. You should leave him alone so he can rest."

" **Hai!"**

Donnie turned with his brothers to leave the room, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

"Donatello, please stay." Splinter said. "I have need to speak with you alone." Donnie sat down on one of the dojo's tatami mats and waited. Once the other's had completely left the room, Splinter turned to face him.

"Tell me everything that just happened during practice."

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you, Sensei." Donnie whispered nervously. Splinter smiled.

"Trust me, my son, I know more than you think." Donnie took a deep breath and began the tale of the demonized Raphael, the stranger, Kurotame, and the odd manifestation of a power that could very well have saved his life. Splinter had paled significantly by the time Donnie reached the end.

"What did you say he called you?"

"Raph called me 'Lord Nurarihyon'. Why? Is that important?" Donnie answered, sounding concerned.

"No. It is nothing. You must have been hallucinating. Go and lie down. I must meditate on this matter." Splinter warned, before retiring to his quarters. Donnie sighed, and left the dojo for his own room to get some much needed rest.

~I\I~

That night, Donatello dreamt of darkness and fear. He was surrounded on all sides by his brothers, who had their weapons held defensively out in front of them. Raphael's eyes were glowing bright red, and flickered with hints of gold. His sai were encased with a fire that flowed from him and up the cold metal of the weapons. It was then that the enemy began their assault. Monsters flew at them from all directions, baring sharp teeth and poisoned claws. Behind them, Donnie could see the tall figures that headed the enemy army, there hands held out as is conjuring a spell. Then, as if in a trance, Donnie felt himself do the same. His arms stretched out in front of him, while his hand made a familiar gesture that had been drilled into each of them since the beginning of Splinter's training.

 _Attack!_

Leo struck first. His eyes were charged with hunger and excitement, glowing so light of a blue that they seemed almost white. His katana whizzed through the air before him. Every time one hit, the enemy would be frozen stiff until their body was shattered by the force of Leo's second blade.

Mikey fought on Donnie's other side, his nunchaku whirling frantically in defense. His opponents became shrouded in smoke as Mikey's eyes became a misty, dark grey. He flew straight into the middle of the mess, and when the fog cleared, all of mikey's enemies were strewn bruised and bloody on the floor.

Despite all of this, Donnie noticed the enemy's continued advances. The four brothers were pressed into a tighter and tighter circle until they were forced to stand back to back.

 _We can't keep this up for much longer. This is it. We're finished._

"Not quite." A voice called from beside him. There stood Kurotame, the stranger dressed in grey. He gave Donnie a hesitant smile.

"You are the one who can win this battle, little kappa. The others will fall without your guidance."

"But how can I help?" Donnie cried. "I'm useless. I can't do anything right. I... "

"You can lead a hyakki yako***." Kurotame interrupted. "You have a power that has been thought to be lost for centuries, and I know you are the only one with the will power and intelligence to master it." The grey-clad figure turned to face Donnie, his expression cold and his words clipped.

"And if you choose not to harness these abilities soon, all you have ever loved will most certainly be lost." Kurotame whipped around and vanished in a puff of smoke. Donnie watched in horror as his brothers did the same, until he was alone on the battlefield. He fell to his knees, and cried out in a voice filled with grief and agony.

" **NO!"**

Donatello sat straight up in his bed, his entire body drenched in a cold sweat. His hands gripped his sheets tightly. The soft purple fabric pooled around his fingers. Suddenly, the door came crashing open, and Donnie's brothers barreled into the room.

"Donnie, what's wrong? We heard you scream!" Leo yelled.

"It was just a bad dream." Donnie assured. "I don't know why I keep having these strange nightmare. They're starting to scare me."

"I'm sure you'll pull through, D. Nothing can keep you down for long!" chirped Mikey. Donnie smiled.

"Okay. With that settled, let's go and get something to eat. I'm starving." They all laughed, and walked to the kitchen, oblivious of the bright crimson gaze peering out at them from the darkness.

* * *

* - Japanese River Demon

** - A very important yokai, especially in the anime this story is based off of!

*** - A band of 100 demons.


	3. Episode 2 - Call of the Yokai pt 2

Kurotame sat in a large, brightly lit room high atop his throne. His eyes were glazed over from lack of sleep, while his robe flowed around him in small swirls as if in direct reflection of his mood. Suddenly, the door to the throne room burst open, revealing a heavyset monster, half crow and half human, who was clearly out of breath.

"Akitora" Kurotame acknowledged his servant. "What news have you brought us?"

"The preparations have been completed, my lord." Akitora reported. "Your tournament may proceed at your command."

"Excellent." Kurotame replied with a mischievous grin. "We will begin at sunrise on getsuyobë." The servant gave his master a low bow before leaving to execute the orders. Kurotame dimmed the lights and began mumbling quietly under his breath. A misty image appeared before his of Donatello Hamato and his family in their kitchen.

"I see great things for you, little kappa." He muttered. "You are the only one who can change this world of ours, if it is to be changed at all. And if that means that I must perish, than so be it." He ran to the door and flung it open with a shout, dispersing the picture behind him.

"Assemble the contestants! The competition will soon commence!"

~I\I~

Donnie ran through the cool night air of New York City with a content smile on his face. Usually, he didn't like going on patrol. He would much rather sit in his lab and make some much-needed progress on one of his many projects. However; tonight's patrol proved to be a remedy for the stress caused by his recent nightmares. Everything was going great until they ran into a gang of street thugs spray-painting the side of one of the apartments. Leo motioned for them to hide in the shadows. They would spring on the gang when the time proved right. Donnie froze when the leader turned his head, seeming to lock eyes with Donnie's own.

 _That's not possible. We should be completely invisible to normal humans._

"I know you're out there, mutant freaks!" the thug called out.

What?

"If you don't show yourselves within the next two minutes, I will just have to reveal you myself."

"He has to be bluffing." Leo whispered.

"I'm not sure, bro." Mikey said. "He looks pretty serious to me."

"Just stay quiet, we'll see if I'm right or not." The time crawled by as the turtles sat and waited in silence. When the two minutes had passed, the boy once again turned towards their hiding place.

"Alright, if that's how you want to play, then so be it." He shrugged, pulling out a small pouch and thrusting his hand inside. When it reappeared, he had a chain clutched tightly in his fist. The pendant on it shown a bright crimson, and was shaped like a large crescent moon. He clipped it around his neck and closed his eyes. When they reopened, they were as red as the moon on his necklace. His teeth lengthened, and a slimy forked tongue poked out from between his lips. The turtles looked on in horror. All but Donnie, who surprised Leo from behind with a sharp, raspy hiss.

Leo turned to face his brother, but found him gone.

"Leave… NOW!" came a familiar cry from below. Donnie was engaged in heated battle against the transformed figure, having taken on a transformation of his own. Donnie's eyes were also blood red, his canines lengthened and sharp, and his tongue appearing thin and forked. As they fought, the gang leader seemed to be laughing.

"I knew I could lead you out of hiding!" The boy cried as he dodged another of Donnie's attacks. "Fledgling Isa Onna are so territorial." Leo's eyes widened.

 _Isa Onna? But that's a monster from one of Sensei's Japanese folk books! Is this guy from Japan?_

Suddenly, the figure grabbed Donnie's bo and twisted, sending the poor turtle crashing to the ground. Donnie proceeded to struggle, but couldn't get free. He tried to snap at the person above him.

"Now be nice, little yokai." the boy tsked. "Once your guards come out of hiding, we can all talk together.

~I\I~

The three remaining turtles were sitting in front of the gang leader, there eyes narrowed and cautionary. Donatello lied restrained behind them, glaring at their guest from over Leo's shoulder.

"Who are you?" Leo demanded. "What do you want with us?" The boy put a hand up to his chest and smiled.

"You may call me Lord Sakebi, or Sakebi if you prefer. I have come at Lord Kurotame's request to escort you to the city of the Yokai." Donnie's head perked up, his eyes having reverted back to normal.

"How do you know Kurotame?"

Leo turned to face him, his face marred in confusion. "You know who this stranger is talking about, Don?" Donnie nodded.

"He's been in several of my dreams lately, always giving me either advice or warnings. What does Kurotame want now?"

"He has recruited you all to participate in the Yūrei no toraiaru, a series of competitions to test the might of the world's greatest hyakki yakös. I personally don't know why Kurotame is so adamant to have you join us. All I see before me is a band of misfit kappa and a completely inexperienced Isa Onna."

"What in the world are you talking about?" Raph growled. "And what in shell's a hyakki yakö?" Sakebi laughed.

"You are all far more pathetic than I realized! A hyakki yakö is a japanese army of one-hundred demons, or yokai, though I've never seen anyone actually reach one-hundred. Now, we really must be on our way. The Lord of Pandemonium is waiting." Sakebi stood and drew a small baton from his belt. When he moved it downwards, a rip opened, allowing the turtles to see the strange world on the other side.

"Follow me, kappa." Sakebi called as he stepped through the portal. The turtles shot glances at one another, shrugged, and raced after their guide, leaving the familiar world of New York City behind.

~I\I~

They re-emerged on the other side of the portal into a world of madness and chaos.

"Welcome to the world of the yokai, Aokigahara!" Sakebi called, gesturing all around him. He leaned in close to Donatello. "Beware, it may end up your final resting place." The party approached the doors of an enormous castle. Sakebi pushed them open with a mighty shove.

"Welcome, kappa warriors!" called a familiar voice from inside. Sitting on the throne was the bane of Donatello's dreams himself, Lord Kurotame. The lord smiled down at them.

"Good. Now the competition can finally begin." Without being given time for questions, the turtles were forced into a large dining area filled with thousands of yokai. They were being filed towards a large blue machine, which let out a loud call as they approached.

"Shioto Kagami." It called. "Lord of the Kyoto sector. Aotabo." The line inched forward until it was finally their party's turn to step inside. Sakebi was first. He walked up to the machine before shooting them a small smile.

"Well, here goes nothing!" he called. The device enclosed over him, and a few minutes later it blared out it's call.

"Sakebi Hiromoto, Lord of the Chicago sector, Isa Onna."

The device turned back around, but just as Raph was about to enter, he was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

"What do you think this will say about us?" he asked, his voice laced with concern. "I mean, I know we aren't exactly normal, but I feel this is going a little too far."

"I'll be fine, Fearless Leader." Raph assured, brushing off Leo's hand. "See you on the other side." He stepped into the machine, as the others waited in anticipation.

"Hamato Raphael." the voice suddenly crowed. "Warrior of the New York sector, Kappa, Hinotama." Donnie took a few steps back, frightened.

"Ooh! Me next!" shouted Mikey, rushing into the device.

"No! Mikey wait!" The two remaining brothers held their breathe as the machine closed its door on the youngest.

"Hamato Michelangelo, Scout of the New York Sector, Kappa, Enenra."

Donnie gave Leo a small, hesitant smile.

"I guess it's my turn now." he whispered.

"Don't worry, Lord Donatello." Kurotame's voice emanated from inside Donnie's head. "Everything will be alright." Donnie took a slow, deep breath, before stepping inside the machine. Blackness enveloped him as he seemed to step into a different, but strangely familiar world.

~I\I~

He was sitting in an old japanese styled room on his knees. In front of him, a traditional sakazuki filled with saké was set up. Further in front of that sat Raphael. Donnie wanted to say something, but his throat seemed to close up. His body responded without thought, going through what seemed to be some sort of ceremony. He took a sip of the saké, and then gave the bowl to Raph, who also took a sip from it. Then Raphael got up, bowed, and left. Leo came in next, dressed in a long white and blue hakama. He bowed low to Donnie before the ceremony took place once more. Mikey came in after Leo, completing the ritual before leaving with a barely hidden grin on his face.

The scene shifted until they were all on the battlefield. Donnie could feel power coursing through him, and he felt his mind give way to what seemed like a different conscious. He commanded his army now, his very own hyakki yakö. His team had grown so much in strength, despite being the smallest army on the battlefield. He had made his way through the masses until he caught sight of his target, the current ruler of the Tokyo sector. Donnie felt himself raise his naginata high.

 _I will be the Lord of Pandemonium!_

At last, the battle had been won. Donatello sat in a familiar throne in Aokigahara, surrounded by his clan. He was distressed. No yokai in their right mind would dare let a small, innocent-looking kappa rule over them uncontested. There would be more war, and there would be more blood! A loud bang shook the walls of the castle as the doors shot open. A small robed figure walked in. Under the cover of his hood, Donnie could see a pair of glowing, red eyes.

"I see that you have won the throne, Lord Donatello." The being spat the words out in disgust. "I have come to give you my congratulations and a warning."

"What is this?" Donnie cried. "Leonardo, Raphael, attend me at once!" The monster hissed.

"Your troubles have not yet ended, my lord. They have only just begun!" With that, he held out a gnarled, bony hand, its finger pointing at Donnie in an accusatory manner. "Let's return you to your rightful place, filthy kappa!" Donnie tried to scream, but once again the sound caught in his throat. He watched as his friends poured into the room, only to be caught by the mysterious stranger's spell. There was a loud pop, and the lord Donatello found himself falling through an endless abyss.

~I\I~

The device crashed down around him, nearly knocking Donnie out in the process. He scrambled out of the way just as the final supports gave out. As the dust cleared, all that remained was a pile of rubble.

"Hamato Donatello." the speaker croaked softly. "Lord of the New York sector. Kappa, Isa Onna…" The voice cut off. The rest of the yokai looked to Kurotame, worry and fear evident in their eyes. He chuckled lowly under his breath.

"Escort the contestants to their rooms." he commanded. "The Yūrei no toraiaru begins tomorrow!"

* * *

Yūrei no toraiaru - lit. "Trials of the Ghosts" in Japanese

 _sakazuki -_ A flat, saucer like cup.

 _Aotabo -_ A strong yokai, typically a priest in an iron robe.

 _Hinotama -_ A japanese fire demon.

 _Enenra_ \- A japanese smoke demon.

getsuyobë - Monday

 _Isa Onna_ \- A japanese vampire.

* * *

 **I hope everyone is having fun reading this story. If you would like, you can try to guess at what yokai Donnie and Leo are. You'll see why I didn't give them away later. :) Until next time, happy reading!**


	4. Episode 3 - Ancient History

"I just don't get it!" Raphael complained. "Why wouldn't Splinter tell us any of this?"

"I think he was scared." Donnie answered. "After all, yokai are demons. He probably didn't want us to find out because he thought we would get out of control with our abilities."

"I can see why." Leo called out. He was sitting on his bed with his hands held out in front of him. Cupped within them were shards of thin, clear ice. His brothers stared at him, amazed.

"Whoa dude!" Mikey gasped. "How did you do that?"

"I don't really know." replied Leo sheepishly. "I just…"

"Thought about it." supplied Donnie. Everyone looked at him in shock. He smiled slightly.

"I've been doing some research." he stated. "You see, those words that machine said about us were not merely words, but races."

"Races of what?" Leo questioned. "Those don't resemble any breed of turtle I've ever read about."

"That's because they're not!" Donnie explained excitedly. "They're words from Japanese folklore. That machine confirmed what Sakebi told us. We really are yokai!"

"Then how do you explain this?" Raph demanded, gesturing to himself. "Splinter told us himself that we were mutated. Are you saying that He's lied to us our entire lives?" Donnie's face turned grim.

"Yes. That's the only explanation. My analysis proves that we are in fact yokai, yokai mutants at that. And though I am not sure yet about Leonardo, I can confirm what kind each of us are." He pointed to Raphael.

"You are part kappa and part hinotama, essentially a fire spirit." He turned to face Mikey.

"Little brother, you are a japanese smoke yokai, or an enenra."

"Cool! Does this mean that I can make my own smoke bombs now?"

"Sure Mikey, sure."

Donnie ended his speech with a gesture towards himself.

"I'm the same type of yokai as Sakebi, an Isa Onna, essentially a japanese vampire. But no need to worry, I don't plan on ducking anyone's blood anytime soon." Donnie paused, and put his fingers up to his chin.

"The strange thing is, I feel that I'm missing something, but I can't figure out what it is."

"I think we should all be getting to bed." suddenly declared Leonardo. "We'll have a big day ahead of us tomorrow, especially if we are planning to win this competition."

"We don't even know what we're supposed to do yet!" Raph growled as he fell asleep.

~l\l~

"Good morning contestants!" Kurotame announced from above. All of the yokai were huddled below him, waiting with anticipation.

"Today marks the beginning of the Yūrei no toraiaru, a competition to determine who is the greatest of all the yokai clans. The first test is called Senso no shitsumon, and will begin shortly."

"Yo, Donatello!" a voice called from the crowd. Donnie looked around and saw Sakebi walking towards him. "Long time no see. Your clan and mine must be neighbors."

"Wonderful." Raph muttered. Donnie gave him a quick glare before turning back towards Sakebi.

"What do you want?" he asked flatly. He still didn't completely trust the strange Isa Onna.

"All I ask for is a small truce." Sakebi contended. You and I, if we worked together, would be unstoppable!" Leo stepped forward to reply, but Donnie held him back.

"I decline your offer." he replied, his voice strangely cold. "Leave my sight at once!" Sakebi smirked.

"Very well, Lord Donatello."

~l\l~

"What was that for?" Leo demanded as soon as they were all inside their quarters. "I'm the leader of this team. I'm the one that's supposed to make the decisions."

"You seriously believe that you are in control?" Donnie whispered as he fiddled with the doors lock. "You're not, not anymore." Leo's own eyes narrowed when he caught sight of Donnie's. They were dark and cruel, maybe even scary.

"You heard the machine yourself, Leonardo. It claimed I was the leader of the New York sector."

"That was just a machine. Splinter, our father, said himself that I was the leader of this team, not you Donnie." Suddenly, the lights seemed to dim, and when Leo looked around he saw no sign of Raph and Mikey.

"Splinter didn't know everything." Donnie voiced. "He may have known we were yokai. He may even have known of our abilities. But the one thing he was ignorant to was our pasts."

"What do you mean by 'our pasts'? We have always been just ordinary mutant kappa. There's nothing special about us!" Donnie chuckled softly under his breath.

"You still hang onto Sensei's every word, don't you aniki." Donnie laughed. "However; I believe it is time for a reality check."

With a snap of Don't fingers, the world around them both began to spin. When the scene finally focused, Leo found himself staring into an old-fashioned Japanese room.

"You swore your oath to remain by my side." Donnie declared, excitement lacing his words. "You and the rest of our brothers are my Hyakki Yakö; my personal army that will lead me back to my rightful place as the Lord of Pandemonium!"

Everything made sense to Leo in that moment. He remembered the oath he had swore in his past life, when he was an outcasted Yuki Onna and the most powerful strategist in all of the yokai realms. It was his master who had finally given him a home. It was his master who had given him a family.

"Lord Nurarihyon…" he whispered, the name coming naturally from his tongue. "It is a pleasure to serve you once again, even in this other life." Donnie smiled slightly.

"I will leave you in your role as the head of our team." he decided. "However; I am still the leader of this clan, and must be allotted my say when needed." Leo bowed low as the setting righted itself. Mikey and Raphael reappeared, and time itself seemed to start again. Leo left for his section of the room with a large smile on his face. The other two brothers turned on Donatello.

"What just happened, Donnie?" Mikey demanded. "You and Leo were out for a good 15 minutes!"

"I don't know." Donnie stuttered. "I can't remember."

"Maybe you need some rest." Raphael suggested, clapping him on the back. "After all, tomorrow's supposed to be a pretty big day, right?"

"Good idea, Raph." Donnie said with a yawn. "I'll see you all tomorrow."

~l\l~

"What's this first competition about anyway?" complained Raphael.

"I've heard it's a test of strategy and cunning," explained Sakebi, his eyes aglow with excitement. "Both crucial elements needed by the Lord of Pandemonium." Leo's smile widened.

 _Finally, a chance to show off my skills for my master!_

Kurotame appeared in front of them all with his arms spread wide.

"Welcome to your first challenge, my dear yokai." he called. "I hope you all had a pleasant night's rest. The main event will begin shortly. Prepare yourselves, and may the best leader win!"

The room was silent after Kurotame left. A scream broke out, and then another and another until the sound filled the entire room. Suddenly, a pale figure emerged right in front of Donatello, who cried out in fright.

"I'll save you, master!" called Leo as he sent a shard of ice directly at the monster's heart. It froze solid.

"What are those things?" Donnie whispered. He was being supported from behind by Raph and Mikey. "They almost look like ghosts. But that's impossible…"

"I don't think anything can be impossible anymore, D." Mikey said. "Everything is different now." The apparitions kept on appearing, separating the brothers to weaken their defenses. It seemed to be working.

 _I can't take it much longer._

Donnie's thoughts were frantic as he held off one of the demons with his staff. All around him clan members were falling, though Donnie doubted they were really dead. Their beaten, broken bodies disappeared long before they hit the ground. On a whim, Kurotame's words ran through his head.

 _May the greatest leader win… that's it!_

Donatello scoured the area around him, looking for his brothers but not finding them. He seemed alone, yet something within himself told him that he actually wasn't. Scenes flashed in front of his eyes from a former battle where the commander was separated from his clan. He now knew just what to do. Donnie let out a soft, yet sharp chirp from under his breath. Later the yokai around him would testify that they hadn't heard the young kappa make any sound at all. Leo, Raph, and Mikey appeared before him, yokai powers visibly blazing. Raph's eyes had once again emerged red and gold, and his sai were held in front of him, dripping liquid fire. Leo's mask had a coating of thin ice crystals along the outer edge. His eyes glowed an ethereal light blue, and the light from them seemed to encase his entire form. Mikey's eyes were the exact opposite, having turned a hazy, dark grey. Streams of smoke wrapped around his arms, making him nearly impossible to see in the muted light of the battlefield. Donnie felt his mind succumb to the strange conscience that seemed to reside within him. He opened his eyes, and saw his clan in all their glory.

"Kurotame said the best leader and strategist would win this game." Lord Nurarihyon instructed. "And of course, there is no better strategy than to not fight at all."

~l\l~

Donatello now stood before the leader of the band of ghosts. He was a tall, brutish man with a feathered hat perched on his head. His coat was adorned with several medals and ribbons, while the man himself held an air of practiced grace.

"You wished to speak with me, Lord Donatello?" The general stated, his voice as rough as gravel against pavement.

"Yes, Lord Haganashi." Donnie replied, his voice polite and clipped. "I wish to propose a truce." Haganashi's eyes widened, before he smiled widely and chuckled under his breath.

"Of course you would." he countered. "Very well then, I will accept your truce on one condition." Donatello cocked his head to the side in question.

"Oh, and what would that be?"

"You must allow me to take control of your body for one whole day, so that I may do what I wish in the world of the living."

"And what would happen to my soul during this time?" Donnie asked. This offer was beginning to intrigue him.

"You would be in a calm, sleep-like state." replied Haganashi. "You wouldn't feel nor remember a thing." Donnie looked up at the ghostly general, and saw only trust and a hint of mission in his pale eyes. He smiled.

"You have a deal."

~l\l~

The figure of Donatello Hamato stood in front of Kurotame, but when he spoke, it wasn't in the young kappa's voice.

"I am very pleased with your selection of a champion, Lord Kurotame, though I suppose I must be. I remember the first time I met Lord Donatello so very well." Haganashi spoke, his eyes glittering with mirth. Kurotame chuckled.

"Yes, he's quite special. He's my prime candidate to make it to the finals." Haganashi looked back at him with a slight frown.

"You do not feel that he will win your competition?" he asked hesitantly. "Why is that?"

"He has yet to rediscover the extent of his fear." Kurotame explained. "And the world of the yokai now is vastly different than what it was before."

"Lord Donatello is smart. I'm sure he will manage, as will his hyakki yakko." replied Haganashi. "Speaking about that, I am worried about one of them. Leonardo, I think it was?"

"Yes, Leonardo has gotten himself into quite a bind, hasn't he." Kurotame sighed softly. "He's the first Yuki-Onna to grace Aokigahara in so long. He's in a similar situation to his brothers, only instead of being feared, his kind are scorned."

"I must be going now." Haganashi announced.

"Very well then. It was very nice talking to you, my dear friend." Kurotame smiled. "I will announce the beginning of a new trial soon. Hopefully, our contestants will find it much harder than the last." The room filled with crazed laughter, that only subsided once Haganashi left the premises."

~l\l~

Donnie awoke the next day to find that he was indeed himself again. The events from the previous days frustratingly eluded his memory. His brothers, who had been sitting in the room waiting, smiled brightly when his eyes turned to them.

"Donnie, you're back!" cried Mikey, wrapping his brother in a gigantic hug. "I missed you so much." Leo looked down at him, his gaze tinged with concern.

"Are you sure you're okay? Possession couldn't have been fun, so why did you do it?" Donatello's eyes went wide.

"I was possessed? That's disgusting!" Raph laughed softly under his breath.

"Haganashi stayed true to his word. Donnie doesn't remember anything. I guess it's for the best." Mikey's eyes suddenly brightened with excitement.

"They're going to announce the results from the competition today! Come on, D, let's go check it out!" Donatello was dragged from the peace of his room into a bustling crowd of other yokai. The two brothers pushed through until they saw a large, colorful board at the center of the square. Once the other yokai saw the pair, Donnie began to hear whispering. He saw the results on the board, and knew why. It listed who was ahead in the competition, and the number of yokai that team had currently killed. At the top was Donatello's name, and beside the letters was the number that had the entire square buzzing.

"How can you win a challenge without killing anyone?" a yokai off to Donnie's left muttered fiercely under his breath. Donnie smiled.

 _I told them I was right._


End file.
